Whole flock in danger! Need help fast!

[oliviad51]

ok so My whole flock of chickens have a cold. They act fine, but they are just sneezing all the time. I really want to aavoid taking them to the vet, becuase there is just no good "chicken" vet around here. A few weeks ago, I believe when they first started their sneezing, one of my chicks [ australorp- 4 months old] eyes looked funny. Most of the time they were shut, but when they were open, they were all watery, and you couldn't see the center pupil very well. It was like rolled back or something. Its hard to describe. Anyways, My whole flock keeps sneezing all day, and I do not know what to do. I am afraid they all might end up like the australorp that died. Please anyone help!!!!!

 

[Katy]

Chickens don't get "colds". They can get different respiratory diseases, but the only way to know for sure what you're dealing with is to have one tested.

 

[dlhunicorn]

I can offer no help with so little info to go on... need a history of what they have been fed... the environment they live in (including temps bedding housing etc)

 

[purpletree23]

Sounds like they have a respiratory infection. The best antibiotic is called Tylan. I get the water soluble kind. Some feed stores have it so call around. Don't let them sell you something else because Tylan (in my opinion is the best). If you can't find it locally you can purchase it online at firststatevetsupply.com Maybe they can ship it over night.

How many chickens do you have? the dosage is 1/2 teaspoon Tylan to 1/2 gallon of water. Add the water to the Tylan. It is hard to mix. Give this to the chickens for 7 days a new batch every day and make sure this is the only water provided so they will have to drink it.

The antibiotics will kill off some of the chickens good gut flora and it has to be replaced. For 2 weeks give your chickens yogurt everyday. Plain....no fruit sugar is OK but not Nutrisweet or anything artificial. If they won't eat it mix it with Cheerios. This is the only way I could get mine to eat it.

 

[mountainchick5]

Purpletree23,
Can you eat the eggs when your chickens have Tylan? Is there a withdrawl period? Just curious, I'm sure it might say on the box.

 

[purpletree23]

mountainchick5,

I don't know if there is a period when the eggs can't be eaten. My birds were not laying when I used it. On the bottle there is a phone number to call if you have questions and believe it or not you actually talk to a real live vet! If the vet says you have to discard the eggs I would scramble them up and give them right back to the chickens.

Good luck. I hope everyone is healthy again soon.

 

[threehorses]

You can also use Tylan50 injectable as a sinus and eye flush. It helps speed the course of healing. Tylan50 injectable also is only a three day treatment if you use the injectable over the soluble. But it causes meat bruises if you have market birds. Don't eat the eggs for 14 days; that's the standard withdrawal. All antibiotics should have withdrawal at a treatment dosage.

There are different strengths of Tylan injectable so if you go to buy it, get the Tylan50.

I would also highly recommend doing supportive therapy to increase healing. This is good for respiratory illnesses caused by ANY organism (fungal, viral, bacterial, etc). First vitamin A is a very important vitamin for respiratory and ocular health. You can spray cod liver oil on the birds' feed twice weekly to great effect. Or "fortified" wheat germ oil (make sure it says it's fortified with A, D, and E - found in the horse section of feed stores). Same treatment dosage.

I second Purple's advice on the probiotics. If you find it easier, Probios powder for livestock can be used sprinkled on the feed (realy great during the oil-spritzed feed days). If you feed yogurt, some like it straight, others like it in a damp mash made of feed and water - then yogurt added. You must use daily during treatment, then every other day after for a week or so. If you don't use Tylan and for some reason go with the cyclines (I would not recommend it personally) then you cannot use yogurt - you must use a Probios brand type of probiotic, or acidophilis capsules/tablets crushed/emptied onto food.

It's very important to boost digestive tract health during respiratory illnesses because the eyes and nose drain into the digestive tract, all that extra fluid and at least secondary bacteria disturbing the normal healthy flora of the gut.

I personally am a huge believer in VetRx to help facilitate breathing. Birds that can't breathe won't eat. It also reduces mucus, can help reduce inflammation, and gets air into the sinuses (which helps reduce the change of congestion and bacterial blooms). You can mix with water and mist them with it as you're talking about a flock. Or alternately you can take the worst individuals and mix equal amounts of VetRx drops in very hot water in a cup. stir very well to emulsify the oil into the water and cool it to warm. Then use q-tips soaked in it to clean the nostrils, the cleft in the roof of the mouth (which fumes the whole sinuses) and under the eyes of those birds with ocular involvement. It would only take the small 2 ounce bottle as it's very concentrated.

So my advice:

Treat with a good antibiotic like Tylan if you choose to treat.
Treat daily with yogurt (unless you use a cycline or mycin drug, not recommended)
Spray feed twice weekly with cod liver oil or fortified wheat germ oil to increase healing and boost immune systems.
Use VetRx on at least the worst sick birds to facilitate breathing and decrease inflammation/mucus.

If you find anything changes, please update *this* thread as you have subscribers.

I'd also check carefully to make sure your birds are all on a diet that consists of at least 90% completely fortified crumbles or pellets, age appropriate. If over four weeks, they should all have grit (of chick or adult size). If over five months, they should all have oyster shell free choice. Make all soluble antibiotic solutions fresh daily. Disinfect all waterers and feeders now and after illness to remove the droplets of their infected slobber and nasal secretions that they've spread. do not mix anything in the water that is treated with antibiotics; give vitamins on the feed. If you have other birds, handle the ill flock last - using a big man's shirt or something like coveralls when you do to prevent disease spread. Keeping antibacterial hand gel in the coop to use when you leave helps you from infecting door knobs. Make sure your whole family knows to avoid the sick birds until you're done.